Tess McEnroe | Special to the Kalamazoo GazetteA white tail deer runs across a road on the border of Allegan and Fennville.

ALLEGAN — Drivers who hit a deer — or a bear— may keep the dead animal for meat or trophy, but only if they call to report the crash to police first.

If they load up the animal and call from home, they risk a visit — and a ticket — from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, said Lt. Frank Baker of the Allegan County Sheriff's Office.

“Oftentimes, someone will see a deer get hit, or see a deer that was recently hit, or they've hit a deer themselves, and they they will load it up and take it home and then call us,” Baker said.

But the law requires that they report the dead deer before it is moved, Baker said.

“We may direct them to meet us somewhere, that would satisfy us — but they can't just take one with calling first,” Baker said.

He said motorists who hit deer or spot a roadkill deer can call 911 for assistance and further instruction.

Mary Dettloff, spokesperson for the MDNR, said a person possessing a highway killed deer or bear must show the permit to any police officer that asks to see it.

The person has 24 hours to attach the permit to the carcass, and law requires that the permit stay attached until the carcass is processed or butchered.

Violation is subject to a $50 to $500 fine and/or up to 90 days in jail, according to the MDNR web site.

A highway killed deer and bear permit shall not be issued to possess a spotted fawn or cub bear.

And the state’s Wildlife Conservation Order does not address road-killed turkeys, Dettloff said. " It does say that you can only kill turkeys with certain hunting devices and it does say you must immediately tag any turkey you kill. So, I would say you can’t keep road-killed turkeys."